Cinema Sidetrack

There were a lot of great movies in 2025, and we've seen just about all of them! So this week we’re back and breaking down our Top 25 Movies of the Year, counting down the films that stuck with us the most—from the big theatrical hits to the smaller surprises we couldn’t stop thinking about.

Which movies made the cut? Which ones got snubbed? And how different are our lists?

THIS WEEK’S SIDETRACK:

David is stepping into the hot seat for a blind ranking challenge. We’ve pulled together ten of the most anticipated movies coming this year, but he has to rank them before he knows what the next movie is.

Will he accidentally put the biggest movie of the year at #10? There’s a very good chance.

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Hollywood’s been in a box office slump this fall, and Predator: Badlands seems to be the only hit from summer 'til Wicked: For Good (which we’ll be covering next week). But is Dan Trachtenberg’s new Predator any good itself? We’ll see! And also, Robert Pattinson and Jennifer Lawrence are crawling around like dogs!

THIS WEEK’S SIDETRACK: 

We’re trying our hand at a special pitch challenge. Using Predator: Badlands and Die My Love as a starting point, we’re building our very own relationship drama Predator movie!

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There are tons of movies we've missed this year, so we're putting the pause on new releases to give our thoughts on five films that we've been meaning to catch-up on: A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE, BLUE MOON, GOOD FORTUNE, AFTER THE HUNT and LURKER.

Then we're breaking down SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE with Prof. Melissa Ziobro, the Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University.

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Spooky season is coming to a close with a long-awaited adaptation from a seasoned auteur and a long-awaited debut from a YouTube film critic. They're finally both here, but can either of them possibly live up to the hype cinema fans have had in their heads for years?? We'll see on this week's edition of SPOOKY Cinema Sidetrack!

And at the end of the episode, we're joined by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Pedro Kos to discuss his new found footage genre mashup IN OUR BLOOD, which is available everywhere on demand starting December 1st.

MOVIE NEWS:

-Taylor Sheridan's big move to NBCUniversal

-Johnny Depp and Ti West teaming up for A CHRISTMAS CAROL

-Trailer reaction for SCREAM 7

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Spooky season is here and with it is a new blockbuster horror sequel in BLACK PHONE 2! The Grabber has stuffed the box office in his big black van, but can he make a good Freddy Krueger knock-off from beyond the grave? We'll see!

In addition to that, Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos are back teaming together for the 4th time with BUGONIA. Is Emma Stone an alien, or is she just bald?? You'll have to see the movie to find out, because this is a strictly NON-SPOILER REVIEW! But to feed into the hype, we'll be doing an ALIEN MOVIE DRAFT at the end of the episode.

MOVIE NEWS:

-Trailer reactions to PRIMATE and SEND HELP

-Disney turned down a Kylo Ren Star Wars sequel??

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Jared Leto’s legacy sequel to a legacy sequel has Disney panicking over the weak box office, but are the bright colors and dope light cycles enough to have us happy walking out of the theater? That’s what we’re discussing this week, along with Channing Tatum’s new true crime comedy from the director of tear-jerkers like Blue Valentine. Then, we’re topping off the episode by giving true crime our own shot, adapting three crazy crime stories into movie pitches.
MOVIE NEWS:
-Trailer reactions to RUNNING MAN and KEEPER.
-A Jetsons movie starring Jim Carrey?
-Jumanji 3 (or 4?) with The Rock and Kevin Hart back!
THIS WEEK’S SIDETRACK:
We’re turning three true crime stories - from kidnappings to diamond heists - into full movie pitches!
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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson recruited Benny Safdie, put on prosthetics, and gained 30 pounds of muscle to transform himself into MMA legend Mark Kerr - and place himself in the center of the Best Actor race - but did he succeed in his efforts (01:07)? This week we're joined by Dave Meltzer, the most prolific pro wrestling and combat sports journalist of all time, to break down the film, Dwayne Johnson's recent career struggles and shifts, and why THE SMASHING MACHINE is the most accurate sports movie ever (33:12).

To hear more from Dave, listen to WRESTLING OBSERVER LIVE and subscribe to THE WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER.

MOVIE NEWS (20:34):

-Trailer reactions to DIE MY LOVE and HAMNET

-Big OCEANS 14 update from George Clooney

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@absofool / @absolool / David Ginsburg on Substack

Paul Thomas Anderson is back with his biggest movie ever, but does it live up to the hype?? Well grab your tracker thingy, throw away your phone, and strap in for a full breakdown and review of what many critics are quickly naming the best movie of the year! And later on in the episode - we put it up against BOOGIE NIGHTS, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, and every other PTA-classic in a Paul Thomas Anderson Film Ranking!

THIS WEEK'S NEWS:

-Trailer reactions to THE BRIDE! and ZOOTOPIA 2

-THE SIMPSONS MOVIE 2 hitting theaters in 2027

-Tim and Eric working on a horror script together

THIS WEEK'S SIDETRACK:

We're taking the films of Paul Thomas Anderson and working together to make a Collaborative PTA Movie Ranking!

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@absofool / @absolool / David Ginsburg on Substack

Does HIM have what it takes to be the G.O.A.T. sports-horror film? Considering the lack of competition . . . maybe! But considering critical reception . . . probably not. Do we agree, or does this movie have us buying Saviors jerseys and Monkeypaw stock? You'll have to listen to find out! And at the end of the episode, in tribute to HIM , we're turning five classic sports movies scary!

MOVIE NEWS:

-Trailer reactions to WICKED: FOR GOOD, ANACONDA, and THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU

-Zach Cregger working on a WEAPONS prequel

-Martin Scorsese sets his next film with Leonardo DiCaprio

THIS WEEK'S SIDETRACK:

Inspired by HIM, we're challenging ourselves to turn five classic sports movies - ROCKY, FIELD OF DREAMS, SPACE JAM, THE BLIND SIDE, and CHALLENGERS - into full-blown horror films!

FOLLOW THE SHOW:

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@andyperezfilm / andyperezfilm.com

@absofool / @absolool / David Ginsburg on Substack

Use the promo code SODAPOP at bcdpublishing.com for a discount on Tony Acero's latest book WHAT HAPPENS AFTER!

It's Stephen King's third theatrical film adaptation of the year - and the first featuring teenage boys sh*tting in the middle of the road! Does it live up to THE SHINING, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and the other classics in the (long) line of King adaptations, or will this film have us hoping we took the walk out of the theater? And later in the episode, we're writing our own dystopian competition film, inspired by THE LONG WALK, THE HUNGER GAMES, and more!

Joining us this week is Stephen King fanboy and publisher/author Tony Acero! Go buy his new book - this October at bcdpublishing.com - WHAT HAPPENS AFTER.

MOVIE NEWS:

-Trailer reactions for CHRISTY and THE RIP.

-A24 acquires rights to produce TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE tv and movies

-Paramount/Skydance to buy Warner Bros. Discovery?

THIS WEEK'S SIDETRACK:

Inspired by THE LONG WALK, THE HUNGER GAMES, and all of the other films in this oddly-saturated subgenre, we're writing our own dystopian competition movie . . . in 20 minutes or less!

FOLLOW THE SHOW:

@CinemaSidetrack

@andyperezfilm / andyperezfilm.com

@absofool / @absolool / David Ginsburg on Substack